If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Melittin, a promiscuous peptide from Apis mellifera

Warning - really scientific stuff, no dumbing this down
Structural and Functional Characterization of a Multifunctional Alanine-Rich Peptide Analogue from Pleuronectes americanus
For melittin, a promiscuous peptide from Apis mellifera [76], it was demonstrated that mutations of arginine and lysine residues changed the total activity, with a major effect on toxicity to mammalian cells, reducing 8-fold the activity of the peptide after modification [77]. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0047047

Re: Melittin, a promiscuous peptide from Apis mellifera

This peptide did not show toxicity against mammalian cells such as erythrocytes, Vero and RAW 264.7 cells.

I wonder if the such as is to be taken as they do not show toxicity to these specific cells or they don't show toxicity to all mammalian cells and these are examples. New ways of treating infections are always a good thing. We just need to be certain that it doesn't kill us in the process. As always I read the abstract, intro, and conclusion.

Re: Melittin, a promiscuous peptide from Apis mellifera

The stuff in between is for people doing research. For those of us who aren't doing research...all the meat is in the beginning and the ending. I guess I have read enough studies to know where the goods are. XD

Re: Melittin, a promiscuous peptide from Apis mellifera

Originally Posted by Bush_84

The stuff in between is for people doing research. For those of us who aren't doing research...all the meat is in the beginning and the ending. I guess I have read enough studies to know where the goods are. XD

If you don't read the stuff in between then you don't know what was done, only what is claimed.

Re: Melittin, a promiscuous peptide from Apis mellifera

Any scientific study published in a reliable journal is going to be legit. So the only reason I would need to know how they did what they did is if I am writing a paper or something and need to include that in the paper. The discussion is good, but really only research scientists need to know what was done and how it was done.

Re: Melittin, a promiscuous peptide from Apis mellifera

Originally Posted by Bush_84

Any scientific study published in a reliable journal is going to be legit.

I was very much kidding when I posted my comment about skipping the "guts" of the paper. I'm often guilty of the same reading habits - unless I *really* care about the results or am suspicious of some of the claims.

Ramona, however, has a very good point. The literature is littered with high profile cases of poorly designed, misinterpreted and/or straight-up fraudulent research that made it through the peer review process - even into the highest profile journals. So, taking authors at face value just because their paper was "peer reviewed" is a dangerous game. (Don't get me started on the evils and shortfalls of the peer review process...) Just remember, the conclusions section is one small step away from being opinion. The results/discussion section is where the hard facts are.

Not trying to be a jerk here. It seems like most folks on this board are pretty thoughtful about the papers that are posted. My original comment really was intended to be lightly kidding. So, I'll shut my yap now and move along.